Leg attaching connection



1967 G. L. PILLIOD ETAL r 3,32

LEG ATTACHING CONNECTION Filed June 9, 1966 INVENTOR? GE RGE L. II-L\IOD BY HERmAN E-EKNST FMCHAE-kQ-PWJ-I D 7 M FUIO'ENEUS,

United States Patent 3,329,383 LEG ATTACHING CONNECTION George L. Pilliod, Herman E. Ernst, and Michael G. Pilliod, Swanton, Ohio, assignors to The Pilliod Cabinet Company, Swanton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed June 9, 1966', Ser. No. 556,454 3 Claims. (Cl. 248-188) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A corner construction for table tops wherein there is provided corner plates with means for receiving the head of associated supporting legs and means for inclining the legs relative to the plane of the top.

The present invention relates to a table construction and more particularly to a corner and leg holder structure for tables.

It has been found desirable in constructions of many types of table design to incline the supporting legs outwardly. Such inclination of the legs may be for structural purposes, as well as for decorative purposes. In the prior art, the legs have been inclined by stamping an inclined dished and generally circular section in a metal corner connector or by routing an inclined circular section in a wooden corner block. Although these methods have performed satisfactorily, the expense in manufacturing the structures has been found to be inordinate in the more costly line of tables.

It is an object of the present invention to produce a corner and leg holder for a table structure which is rugged in construction and affords adequate inclination to an associated leg.

Another object of the invention is to produce a table corner and leg support structure which is readily and economically manufactured particularly from the standpoint of large quantity production.

In summary, the invention relates to an article support comprising self-supporting devices which support an article in substantially spaced relation to a generally horizontal surface such as a table, floor, or the ground, usually having an upright standard, pedestal, or leg, and including means for attaching the same to the article supporting surface.

In one embodiment, the invention is exemplified by a corner construction for table tops having a pair of wooden pieces, a respective end surface of each being joined together to form a right-angle, each piece having a groove of substantially uniform depth in the inner surface thereof in coplanar relation with the groove in the other of the pieces. The improvement comprises a metal plate having a planar body portion, which has at least two adjacent edges disposed in a substantially right-angle relation with respect to one another to be seated within the respective grooves of the wooden pieces, a downwardly depending flange being integral with and extending transversely of the body portion, and means formed in the body portion for attaching a supporting leg structure to the plate including a thread engaging aperture formed therein.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from reading the following detailed description of the invention in conjunction with the attached drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an exploded view showing the corner plate of the invention and the top frame members,

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the invention in its assembled form,

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view of the construction shown in FIGURE 2 taken along line 3-3 thereof,

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the corner plate of the invention, and

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of the corner plate illustrated in FIGURE 4 taken along line 55 thereof.

Referring to FIGURES 1, 2, and 3, there is illustrated a pair of top frame pieces 10 and 12, each of which is provided with bevelled or mitered end surfaces 14 and 16, respectively, so that upon being joined together by glueing, for example, a mitered joint 18 is formed. The frame pieces 10 and 12 are further provided with relatively narrow and shallow grooves 20 and 22, respectively, which are in alignment with one another in the assembled condition of the pieces 10 and 12.

A metal corner plate, generally indicated by reference numeral 24, is adapted to be fitted within the grooves 20 and 22 of the frame pieces 10 and 12, respectively. The plate 24 has a main body portion 26 which is planar in configuration. The adjacent edges 28 and 30 of the plate 24 are disposed at substantially a right-angle with respect to one another, and are adapted to be fitted within respective ones of the grooves 20 and 22 of the top frame pieces 10 and 12. It has been found that satisfactory results can be achieved by forming the plate 24 from .0625 inch thick sheet metal stock and forming the grooves 20 and 22 of a width of approximately inch. This enables a snug fit between the plate 24 and the associated top frame pieces 10 and 12.

A depending flange or lip 32 is formed at one side of the body portion 26 of the plate 24 and is adapted to extend generally transversely thereof. The body portion 26 has formed therein substantially centrally thereof a nut 34 which may be in the nature of a tapped extrusion and is inclined with respect to the plane of the main body portion 26. The threaded aperture 34 is adapted to receive one end of a screw threaded shank 36, the other end of which is rigid with the upper end of a table leg 38.

In assembling the aforementioned components, the mitered surfaces 14 and 16 of the top frame pieces 10 and 12, respectively, are coated with a suitable adhesive, such as glue, and placed in abutting relation with their respective slots 20 and 22 in alignment with one another. After the glue has properly set or cured, the corner plate 24 is so positioned that the marginal edge 28 is adjacent and in alignment with the slot 20 and the marginal edge 30 is adjacent and in alignment with the slot 22. Then the metal plate is pressed or otherwise forced into the respective slots 20 and 22 until the edges are substantially adjacent the innermost portion of the associated grooves. Then the threaded shank 36 of the leg 38 is screwed into the nut impression 34 of the corner plate 24 and is tightened until the peripheral edge of the top surface of the leg is adjacent the under surface of the main body portion 26 and the upper surface of the leg is adjacent the free end of the downwardly depending flange 32. It will be noted that the flange or lip 32 retains the leg 38 in an inclined position and any load imposed on the leg is transmitted to the top frame through the downwardly depending flange 32 and the contact between the peripheral edge of the leg and the under surface of the body portion 26. Manifestly, the structure provides a simple and rugged structure for maintaining the desired inclination of the leg supports. Each of the four corners of a completed table structure is provided with a corner plate structure 24 in the manner illustrated above.

Although it-has been found preferable to fabricate the corner plate 24 of metal, other materials which are hard, tough, and fracture resistant may likewise be satisfactorily employed. It will be understood that in certain applications, it may be desirable to apply a glue or similar adhesive on the marginal edge portion of the edges 28 and 30 of the corner plate 24 prior to insertion thereof into the associated grooves of the frame pieces 10 and 12. Such method in certain instances further insures a tight position connection between the corner plate 24 and the top frame pieces 10 and 12.

With reference to FIGURES 4 and 5, there is shown a corner plate which is similar to that shown in FIG- URES 1, 2, and 3 and similar reference numerals are used to describe similar structural aspects with reference to the structure illustrated in FIGURES l, 2, and 3. More specifically there is shown in FIGURE 4 a sheet metal corner plate, generally indicated by reference numeral 24, having a main body portion 26 which is planar in construction. The adjacent edges 28 and 30 are disposed at substantially right-angles with respect to one another and are adapted to be fitted within the aligned grooves of associated top frame pieces. The body portion 26 has formed therein a nut impression 40 such for example as the fastener called a P-restole impression, typically formed by a stamping process and is adapted to receive one end of the threaded shank of an associated table leg. As will be appreciated from a comparison of the corner plate 24 shown in FIGURE 1, the plate illustrated in FIGURES 4 and 5 embodies a different type of threaded aperture, which in certain instances may be less expensive to manufacture and at the same time affording the desired threaded engagement with an associated table leg.

Further the corner plate 24 of FIGURE 4 includes a pair of spaced and aligned embossures 42 formed therein which perform a function similar to the depending flange or lip 32 of the embodiment illustrated in FIG- URES 1, 2, and 3. The depending surfaces of the embossures 42 retain an associated table leg in an inclined position.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, we have explained the principle and mode of operation of our invention and have illustrated and described what we now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, we desire to have it understood that,

within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

What we claim is 1. A corner construction for table tops for receiving a threaded shank of an associated supporting leg, said construction having a pair of wooden pieces having a respective end surface of each joined together to form a right angle, each of said pieces having a groove of substantially uniform depth on the inner surface thereof in coplanar relation with the groove in the other of said pieces, the improvement comprising a sheet metal corner plate having a planar body portion, said body portion having at least two adjacent edges disposed at substantially right angles to one another to be seated within the respective grooves of said wooden pieces, a depending integral portion extending transversely of said body portion, and nut means on said body portion for receiving the threaded shank of the leg, said depending integral portion being spaced from said nut means a sufficient distance such that the downwardly depending free portion thereof contacts the upper surface of the associated leg to maintain the inclination of said leg with respect to said planar body portion of said plate.

2. The corner construction defined in claim 1 wherein said depending integral portion comprises a downturned lip.

3. The corner construction defined in claim 1 wherein said depending integral portion comprises an embossure.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,184,297 5/1916 Balbach 248-188 1,800,132 4/1931 Brubaker 248-188 2,882,110 4/1959 Mutchnik 248-188 2,905,422 9/1959- Sacharow 248-188 2,915,350 12/1959 Sinclair 108-156 2,970,025 1/ 1961 Wilson 248-188 3,263,630 8/1966 Carlson 248-188 DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner.

JAMES T. MCCALL, Examiner. 

1. A CORNER CONSTRUCTION FOR TABLE TOPS FOR RECEIVING A THREADED SHANK OF AN ASSOCIATED SUPPORTING LEG, SAID CONSTRUCTION HAVING A PAIR OF WOODEN PIECES HAVING A RESPECTIVE END SURFACE OF EACH JOINED TOGETHER TO FORM A RIGHT ANGLE, EACH OF SAID PIECES HAVING A GROOVE OF SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM DEPTH ON THE INNER SURFACE THEREOF IN COPLANAR RELATION WITH THE GROOVE IN THE OTHER OF SAID PIECES, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING A SHEET METAL CORNER PLATE HAVING A PLANAR BODY PORTION, SAID BODY PORTION HAVING AT LEAST TWO ADJACENT EDGES DISPOSED AT SUBSTANTIALLY RIGHT ANGLES TO ONE ANOTHER TO BE SEATED WITHIN THE RESPECTIVE GROOVES OF SAID WOODEN PIECES, A DEPENDING INTEGRAL PORTION EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF SAID BODY PORTION, AND NUT MEANS ON SAID BODY PORTION FOR RECEIVING THE THREADED SHANK OF THE LEG, SAID DEPENDING INTEGRAL PORTION BEING SPACED FROM SAID NUT MEANS A SUFFICIENT DISTANCE SUCH THAT THE DOWNWARDLY DEPENDING FREE PORTION THEREOF CONTACTS THE UPPER SURFACE OF THE ASSOCIATED LEG TO MAINTAIN THE INCLINATION OF SAID LEG WITH RESPECT TO SAID PLANAR BODY PORTION OF SAID PLATE. 